Gunners To Bag Third Place
May 23rd, 2015 by 'holic
A league season that seems to have raced by draws to a close on Sunday, and Arsenal seem to be limping into a third place finish. Without a goal in the last three home matches, the Gunners face a West Brom who have become much more accomplished defensively under the management of Tony Pulis.
The Baggies are unbeaten in five, and those include impressive victories over Chelsea (3-0) and Manchester United at Old Trafford (1-0). Under Pulis they have kept ten clean sheets in seventeen matches. We’re not likely to see an expansive game from the visitors, so it is up to us to show we have learned the lessons of those last three homes. Arsene acknowledged as much in his press conference before the match.
“You want to go out of the season on a high and not feel miserable after a game. You want to feel that we have done our job well and that we have finished on a strong performance. We want to send our fans home happy on the last game of the season.”
On the last day of the season it would take a home defeat for us, a United win against Hull, and a seven goal swing to deny us the automatic Champions League berth. Arsene has his sights set firmly on a morale boosting win ahead of the FA Cup Final.
“We were many times under pressure when we absolutely had to win the game. We always delivered. This time we want to continue our tradition and do it again.”
He also hinted at a degree of rotation. Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez looked a little flat in the week and could be candidates for a rest before Wembley. Francis Coquelin could be in line for a return and Theo Walcott may be in line for rare start? Also expect a recall for Wojciech Szczesny with one eye on next week.
The Baggies have only Ben Foster ruled out by injury, so could Boaz Myhill have the game of his life at the Grove!
The ‘holic pound
I am hoping, rather than expecting, than we will find the fluency and creativity somewhat lacking of late. I also expect the visitors to put up a fight, so I am going for another 2-1 home win, available from Paddy Power at 7/1.
Thank you
It’s hard to believe this is the last match at the Grove this season. It seems like yesterday we gathered at the pub for the opener against Palace. A lot of Guinness has been sunk since. Maybe that is why it has seemed so short.
Tomorrow we’ll assemble, some for one last time this season due to the absurd ticket distribution for the FA Cup Final (and yes, if you have one spare let me know, thanks). I would like to thank those I have spent time with this season. The social side of the game is often more enjoyable than the game, and the reason I have renewed the season ticket again after much soul-searching for the second year running.
Thank you also to those who read my rambling throughout the season, whether or not you contribute to ‘the drinks’. Lastly thank you to those who have contributed guest posts, most of which have raised the bar around here.
Have a good one ‘holics.
154 Responses to “Gunners To Bag Third Place”
Numero Uno.
Get in.
Off to read the Guvna’s pearls of wisdom now.
Hehe, nice one bath. I hope to see you on the morrow?
First or second depending on how much I write. Agree with Trevor about Cech. Great keeper seven years ago but no more.
Fine preview, Guvna.
It’s time for Theo to get a start and an opportunity to demonstrate that he can contribute to this Arsenal squad’s challenge for major honours next season. Santi and Alexis certainly need to put their feet up to recharge their batteries for the cup final. Jack could do with some more game time as could TR7.
We do need a victory to set us up for Wembley. However Pulis’s new improved Baggies will not make it easy for us. I’ll be happy with your 2-1.
COYGs
I’ll be there, as the Four Tops sang.
Thank you very much, H. You make supporting the team easier.
This is truly the best Arsenal site available. Though I may not agree with certain people on varying issues, we have, mostly, Arsenal in common.
Long may it continue.
Looking forward to a good game tomorrow but with eyes fixed mainly on the big one next week.
Trev, N7, Joe, NBN, and others; thank you for intelligent contributions that have kept lots of people engaged and entertained. More grease to your elbows.
Thanks again, H. It would all be impossible without you.
COYG
Thank you.
Now, could we about to be getting a Gooner world super middleweight champion. Waiting for the James DeGale fight to start.
Holic, thanks for running this bar in which I have made so many friends from quite literally all over the world.
I agree with you Guvna. Seasons seem to slip by even quicker than before and close seasons drag even though they are shorter. Nice preview and I wish you luck on the ticket front. My companion at matches has no ticket but I was lucky in the ballot.
I think Arsene has to shake the team up a big tomorrow. He has limited options upfront unless he uses Akpom or switches Theo. We will need pace and width to unlock the Baggies and I would not have Alexis, Ozil or Santi out there tomorrow.
In fact I picked a team earlier in the week which might suffice. Another 0-0 draw wouldn’t surprise me but I think a wound up Theo might be on fire tomorrow and might snatch a winner. But no injuries and at least a point will do if we can lift the Cup next week.
And good luck to Gooner De Gale tonight!
Cheers H! Have a great day out tomorrow and next Saturday. See you next season. For fucking sure!
Thanks Holic for another top, top year of reporting and comment.
Long may it continue.
Happy with 2-1 but confident of 2-0.
UTA.
cheers for another season’s worth ‘hol
really appreciated
.
promise i’ll try and waffle less
but
sometimes
i can’t help myself
as the four tops sang
.
🙂 bath
Nice preview sir. I will look forward to catching up both before and after the game tomorrow.
I’m expecting to see some rotation but with a week of rest before the final I hope not too much. This should not only be the seasons climax but a warm up for the final.
Keepers. Whenever we have these debates I’m always reminded of what George Graham said when we signed Dave Seaman to replace John Lukic. “I think Lukic is one of the top five keepers in Europe. I just think that Seaman is the best.” Personally I would take Cech in a heartbeat.
With regards to the final my stance is exactly the same as last year. Play your number 1 keeper.
Finally, many congrats to Southend. There is a part of Germany that is all Essex at the moment.
Catch you tomorrow Holics. Bring it on.
The super middleweight champion of the world is a Gooner! 🙂
And typically for a Gooner he did it with the handbrake on and made it far closer than it needed to be.
Well done James De Gale! Fine fight and a Gooner’s heart!
After the reading the blog, which guest posts have been guilty of lowering the bar then? 😉
The extra ‘the’ in my #17 is for the Derek and Clive fans in the audience. Have fun with that one on me.
Cheers, Holic, and thanks for yet another preview.
The season does indeed seem to have flown by. In some ways it hardly seems to have been a season at all.
It started with World Cup hangovers to some of the players who carry our greatest expectations and, consequently, some disappointing early season results and performances, not helped by our anbual crop of serious injuries.
International breaks every month added to the frustration, for me at least, and by Christmas all realistic hopes of the title had gone.
The second half of the season saw us become the most consistent team in the league until our recent lack of goals has left us to limp, virtually certainly, into third place.
Another international break in March and other FA Cup ties leave me with the impression that we have only been trecking up to The Home of Football around once every tnree weeks. Oh, for the old “home one Saturday, away the next, and all at 3.00pm” days.
In any event the season is over – bar the Final next week. One ultimately of progress but the promise of this season really has to become the achievement of next.
Thanks again, Holic, for another season of excellent previews and impossibly balanced match reports.
Hope to catch you – metaphorically – over the railings tomorrow and, of course, we’ll all be back next season – virtually and in reality.
Thank you very much ‘H, for another excellent season of reporting on the Arsenal.
This season, due to circumstances beyond my control, I missed more live games than I did in the previous 5 seasons combined, yet this bar and the people i’ve met via this medium still managed to make me feel like I was there in the flesh for every single game. Thank you once again.
In the words of a certain wise man; “virtual bar , real friends”.
‘Ramblings’, ‘holic? Pearls, mate, PEARLS.
Especially the bit about a possible start for you know who. It would be great to see what he can do with room to move in the early salvoes, rather than being thrown into a crowded bus parking area for just the last ten.
Ttg … Time passing more quickly is a phenomenon of ageing. Just when you really need more time, it’s rate is callously accelerated by whichever celestial entity you believe controls these things (personally I blame such things on that rebarbative bugga of a god who lives in a little blue teapot circling the planet Zog). Of course you could always try the theory adopted by Lieutenant Dunbar – the Catch-22 character who believed boredom and danger could make time pass so slowly that life itself would seem terminally protracted.
Öskar
One way to become thoroughly bored might be to switch allegiances to the chavs or spuds. Although that would almost certainly induce you to end your life sooner, so perhaps not… 😉
Öskar
Thanks for yet another season of top notch blogging ‘H, and yes, Palace at home really doesn’t seem that long ago.
I’ve been pretty disapointed with the last few games and fel we have wasteda chance to better utilise a few of the so called fringe players. I have no idea who will play today, I just hope we can give a better acount of ourselves to give us a real boost going in to next weeks final.
COYGs.
Cheers Holic.
This is my first stop most days – an oasis of sanity in a desert of demented social media drivel. Thanks for each and every one of your posts.
Looking forward to catching up with you at the Big One next Saturday – also hope the team can find whatever it is that has gone missing of late (energy?) when it counts.
As for today, I guess a draw with no injuries is a good outcome but I never settle for less than 3 points BEFORE the game.
UTA.
Tricky choice here. Thanking the barman for his contributions, for the order he is able to maintain and the quality of the drinkers -which is due in no small part to the first two items – seems so final. Not doing so seems so rude. Perhaps uncharacteristically, I shall shun rudeness.
Thank you holic for inventing, promoting and maintaining this oasis of sanity and occasional insanity. Long may you find the energy to carry on with it.
Thank you too to all the regulars who make this place what it is.
There’s a football match later today, you say? Here’s to a good result from a team that provokes an appropriate level of discussion.
I won’t join the ranks of those who have resolved not to return until season 2015-16 as I need a prop to help me through the close season. Have a good summer (or winter, depending on geography) those of you who are off – I look forward to reading you again next term.
COYG
Afternoon all
I think a bit of rotation is what is needed, Alexis and Santi do look dead on thier feet and who can blame them. Both have covered every blade of grass this season and could do with a rest.
The last few games have ended in a wimper and a win today would boost the lads heading into a very tricky FA Cup final. Thats for another day and the barman will sort that out.
I dont get as much time as I would like to visit the bar and read some excellent views on Arsenal but what can you do. As a visitor and ocassional poster thank you for the cracking reads throughout the season.
Cheers All
4-0 its writen in the stars whatever that means 🙂
As long as it’s not written in the Daily Star, ARSENAL1979…..
Because that’s mostly bollox. 😉
What Pangloss said @25.
Heartfelt thanks holic for this wonderful refuge and putting up with the wildlife like me. 🙂
Coyg
Giroud, Kos and Monreal rested.
No Woj in goal today means it would be madness to play him in the final (imho)
Hmm..the lack of quality streams for this one is disturbing :S
H2H – he will play Woj in the final, same as he did play Fabianski last year. The lack of action he gets is worrying, but I think that Arsene wants him to win trophy with us while actually being in goal.
COME ON!!!!
😀
as most everyone has said, thank you holic, again, for hosting such a kind place to while away some time talking about a thing we love so much. I miss abb, wind, ts, and others who haven’t posted as much of late, and am happy for the return of stevet and Clive. looking forward to today, the week before and the cup, and the summer. maybe we will find out what has been happening with shaft, Carlos, and others from the feelgood foundation…
off we go! come on gunners!
theo!!!!!
FEO!
YES!!!
THEO… back and fresh as ever!!
GET INNNNNNNNNNNN!!
😀
What was that?! Bravo Theo, what a finish:)
Nice Theo!
Did Oskar put Theo up to that?
theo again! 2-0
GET IN!
Sharp Sharp Sahrpish!
THEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
GET IN!!!
😀
And that’s why he should ALWAYS be in the side.
WTF?!?!
Holy Feo!!
Absolute joy to watch. Theo is on fire
otd and cynic are flying ever so high…
Oh jaaack!
WHAT A GOAL HOLY SHIT
Anything Theo can do… so can WILSHEEEEEEEEEEEEREEee!!
GET IN!!
😀
My God Wilshere. FFS!!!
What the fuck:):) Jacky boy what a strike
This is better the sex
Everyone wants to play in the Final.. we’re going to have a good selection problem indeed!
😀
Wow jack. Wheeewww!!
been a while since we saw this.
Three cracking goals in the first 19 minutes!! Lovely. Looks like Theo is just about ready to add his bit to the squad. Hope they all stay fit. Would be good to not get lazy and put on the hand brakes now.
Massacre at Ashburton Grove.
what we got here
is a good ole timey
west brom Arse whuppin revival meeetin
.
yeeee haaaaaa
hat trick!!!
THeo… Pay the man his money!
Get In!
Are we playing Norwich??!?
😀
Theo.
Looks like he wants to play in the cup final.
theo could have five himself but for boaz.
There’s something strange going on…
Pool are doing exactly the opposite of us!
😀 😀 😀
That’s more like it. 🙂
OK.. Pool are outdoing us now.. in the opposing direction!!
HAHAHHAHA!
😀
nice half of football. well done theo, jack too. mesut sublime today, Sanchez playing catchup. can’t wait for the second half.
Liverpool getting hammered at Stoke. 5-O HT
bye Bye Stevie G.
He might have to take Brentan with him.
Phil Thompson looked like he wanted to cry at 5-0.
Never mind Sterling, it looks like the entire team has had enough of Rodgers.
8-0 in that game please and at least 8-0 in ours. Then I might be happy 😀
(still not expecting Theo to play next week)
these are the days when you remember why you love watching this team play, because of games like this..when everything clicks and it is just sight to behold.
Fitting send off for Gerrard.. and Sterling too perhaps!
😀
score
hug
score
hug
score
hug
score
hug
.
Dear diaby
hug people more
yer man’s a witchdoctor
No no.
Let rogers stay at pool! Hes a genius. A visionary….
Ancelotti better stick to his promise of a year off….!
😀
Meat’s back on the menu!
Can just hear Stoke’s Half time proclamation..!
😀
The only thing spoiling the party is lack of quality streams :S no acestream or sopcast ones at all :/
*hears the cogs of oskar’s typeogram whirring already*
.
😉
Deny Klopp entry for a year too…!
COME ON!!!
So.. Leicester joins the game as well…
😀
geez.
Chamakh! 😀
Can”t believe how many empty seats I’m eeing at the Ems.
eeing at the ems
😉
Right .. time to hold auditions for the Finals…
😀
nice save ospina.
Aaron really deserves a goal
All right, not bad, seemed to slow down in the second half, could have scored more. Would have loved for Sanchez to score. But still four super goals, can’t complain (Ospina seemed a bit nervous though). Nice being here, till next season. Stay cheerful people, a round of whatever you want for everybody.
I really, really hope now that the cunts from BT Sport will make a spot in their ad for next season mocking Liverpools defeat at Stoke. Much like they mocked our collapses at Anfield and Bus stop in Fulham.
Nice to see AW freshen things up, with so many players looking jaded in recent weeks – great to get a good win ahead of the cup final – typical end of season result really — nice to see Theo and Jack play so well (amongst others). Third is quite an achievement after our less than stella start to the season.
Liverpool!
Thanks Holic for another great sesons blogging!
See you all again next season.
Didn’t West Brom understand that you play ten at the back, not four, when you visit the Emirates?
‘Course the other manager now available if there is a vacancy at Liverpool is Fat Sam. We can only hope…
Thought Fat Sam said he was good enough to coach Real Madrid??!
Had enough of fat sam here please…!
😀
‘Holic, good effort as ever this season. Really enjoy your previews, reports and trips down Memory White Hart Lane!!
Good, confidence-boosting, nerve-reassuring, doubt-dispelling win before the cup final.
Theo, Jack looked superb especially in the first half. Was impressed by Ozil as well, didn’t drop off and just kept doing his complicated things in simple way, and the odd bit of doing the simple in complicated way thrown in. Was good to see Santi looking fresher on the ball compared to last few outings. Only one who was a little worry was Gibbo. I guess Arsene could have been pondering to start him in the final given his positive experience last year and his greater pace, but today’s performance may bring Monreal back who has been excellent in the last few months. Nice to see Ox on the bench as well, looked a little rusty but one more week of practice and would be a terrific player to have as an option.
Liverpool, ha! Ha ha!
Other than us (we have been the best team in 2015), Leicester and Crystal Palace had a superb run in the last few months as well. Crystal Palace (Chamakh scored today but Sanogo not in the starting line-up) to finish 10th from where they were and Leicester to not only beat relegation but finish 14th are impressive achievements. Both team play decent football.
Villa lost at home on the final day, hopefully some more doubts have crept in their squad. 🙂
Amazed to read on BBC that Man Utd failed to score in half their 38 league games. So all that pre-season money was well spent, then…
That’s actually bollox, BBC. Man Utd failed to score in only five of their league games.
NBN@97: 🙂 If a team fails to score in 19 games the maximum point they can make is 76 if they remain invincible. If Man U had gotten to 70 points with 19 non-scoring matches that would have meant a superlative defensive performance across the season.
Assists!
🙂
Arrived home after a game that I enjoyed much more than I expected to. Huge credit to Thei whose movement gave a fluidity to our attack that had recently been missing. He played as well as he did against Spurs last year in the Cup, playing through the middle but giving our creative players so many more options than Giroud provides( as illustrated when Giroud replaced him).
Wilshere was also excellent, Ozil very good and the whole team was lifted and played at a pace that was way too much for the Baggies. In the second half Ramsey playing centrally also created and almost scored three times.
But there was a big downside . Ospina had an awful game. Their goal was almost completely down to his coming for and not getting near a cross from the right and at the end he was extremely lucky when he mishandled a long shot and saw it bounce off the bar. I am afraid I have moved into the ‘ let’s get a world class goalkeeper if one is available’ camp because he surely isn’t it. He lacks presence does not look confident on crosses and seems to me to be vulnerable to long shots. The first goal he conceded for us against Southampton was a shot from Clyne he should have saved. If we are serious about winning the title we need a better goalkeeper.
But overall a very enjoyable day and if Wenger hasn’t been given food for thought by Theo I will be surprised
faces to made up names
.
the ‘holic
blogs arsecast
.
but
fillin’ in blanks
my mind
.
favourite NZ band
.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Ol3JHWlSRzc
.
.
top man
every dog etc bla
feeeooooooo
rotation
.
but
i see a person when I read people’s posts
made up yeah
.
i can’t be the only bastardin one
fuck off
ya faceless shower
Simply splendid result today.
TTG with an absolutely classic typo in his second sentence @101. Respect to you, Sir. Congratulations to cba on the last ton of the season.
Roll on Saturday. Roll on 2015-16. Bollocks to Mourinho.
COYG
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=1FT-4sNe-as
.
love ’em
.
pan G
.
pan
.
*gets emotional*
.
.
🙂
cheers fella
just back from hugging those who made it possible
Pangloss
There seemed to be so many Theos in that first half I could only refer to him in the plural. Assuming the plural of Theo is Thei!! Although it sounds pretty poetic anyway!
pan G
thunder T
.
top holics
.
latin o-level aside
The name Theodore means “gift from God”, from the words θεός (god) and δώρα (gift).
So believe it or not, ttg, but “thei” actually IS the plural of “theo” as the plural of gods is θεοί (i.e. thei) in Greek.
what’s the plural of smartypants ?
That first forty five minutes must be one of the finest halves of football ever seen.
Have to start with Theo. A different player today. As strong and hardworking today as he has been weak and disinterested since his return from injury.
He gave us a very different dimension up front today with some excellent runs into channels and in behind defenders. And that first goal was just WOW !
That was the Theo I said at the end of a very critical piece on him a few bars ago, that we would all love to love.
I’m also looking forward to seeing Jack’s goal again on TV and, more to the point, hearing the crowd reaction.
There was a split second of silence followed by a really piercing “Ooooooooh!!!” as I recall – can’t wait to see it again.
Jack played his best game today since that fantastic performance at The Emirates against Barcelona.
The pity is that he is so often injured and unavailable that you forget what an amazing player he is at his best.
The only downside to today is that Ospina’s performance was a bit of a worry. It is harsh to criticise too much on the back of one performance, but having stoutly defended him in the week, I think that, like Ttg, I’m moving into the “let’s get a top-top class keeper” camp. Every league winning side has one – I’m a bit less sure after today that we have.
Fantastic way to end the league season today.
Good to see the Guvnor briefly too. Cheers, old chap !
The plural of smartypants is Larses. 😉
Massive heh, BB @ 74.
Meat IS back on the menu indeed.
Cheers, barkeep, but there’s one more bridge to cross before end of season plaudits.
BMBD
so
trev
very subtle use of the word ‘today’
today
today
That’s me, cba,
subtlety personnified. 😉
+
hope ye both had a crackin day
Dave,
If you’re still here – take a stroll to the sunny end of the Seven Sisters Road, mate.
You know you want to ………….
😉
We did thanks, cba,
just brilliant. 🙂
great stuff trev
THE ARSENAL
heart stopping/starting joy
.
THE ARSENAL
.
fuckin love em
Well in for the ton, Cba!
Aye, cba, nail on head.
There is something about The Arsenal that gets into you. They never seem to take the easy route. Whether the stonier path spans a single season or ten years, we will take it.
We’ll have some moments that dreams are made of along the way, but the irony borne of our own frustration is never far from the surface either.
We are harsher with our own than, maybe, any other club, but woe betide the outsider who tries the same.
It’s the failures that make the victories so sweet though. And we are lucky enough to know that the victories will come.
Dr F – i too am basking in thr glow of more liverpool himiliation.
But – harsh on Ospina i think. That shot he almost missed was a wicked swerver. (Is that even a word…? ). Not like he gave up a goal on it.
Maybe he was less than perfect. But given his work to date writing him off seems a tad hasty imo.
And Feo – what a show by the man. Many plaudits to go around and a nice way to end things.
Now go win a be FA cup arsenal!!!
cheers cent
.
twas a triumphant sneaky smiley strike
Homer,
I did say it was harsh and I haven’t seen the swerve on the TV pictures.
I like him and I think he’s done really well.
Just not sure he has the presence of a top-top class keeper. I’m ready to be persuaded again though.
trev
.
superstar
.
zactly
.
proud to be a gooner
.
proud to be a goonerholic
.
really am
.
just fuckin chuffed
.
I’m off for a while so I’m leaving you, cba, to be kind to that nice Mr Oskar when he comes in to tell us all about you know who ……….
😉
Lars,
You seem surprised that I am a classical scholar. I did flirt with Latin at school but gave it up when I discovered girls! I definitely got that one right.
CBA
You’re a fine and much appreciated Holic yourself.
Now we’re off to Wembeleee!
trev
I refer yer honourable bone crunching self
to the comment
i made 104 ago
.
I like oskar
.
he’ll get the joke wi the clean tunes
Trev@117, bit late for that matey!! I lived in Tiverton Rd off Holloway Rd as a lad but my old dad took me to the Lane in ’73 and that was me, cursed for life!!
Trev
Spot- on with your analysis. Jack and Theo were back to their very best today. On this form both are undroppable. After the first goal we said that Theo had made a point, after the second we admired his finishing prowess and after the third which was a classic piece of goal hanging we started to speculate on whether he would change Wenger’s mind .After all Giroud is not in very good form. Theo’s movement was superb all afternoon and it made it so much easier to open up West Brom( who came into the game with a good defensive record) . Jack is the midfielder who gets beyond opponents with the surge he has when fit. Also Ozil was excellent today. I’m not sure if Theo’s movement helped him or vice versa but his use of the ball was great today.
I was behind the shot that Ospina flapped at and his technique was sadly lacking. It just went partially through him and deflected onto the bar. It swerved but he is an international goalkeeper. He also totally misread the corner and was beaten by McAuley. That was very poor goalkeeping. I cut him some slack with the Gomis goal, the Herrera shot was a good one but I think Wenger has to go for higher quality. He represents a downgrade in quality on the rest of the team.
Dave
used to live on Holloway Road
as a big grumpy so an so
.
where’s Tiverton Road
.
I was undercover in Bruce Grove
Lucas Avenue too
🙂
:))
yup
.
i lived in tottingham
.
30£ a room
.
weather’s wet
.
ya judgemental shower
132
add
I to the start of the second line
.
wouldn’t wanna offend a tame spud
take us ages to train another one 😉
.
sorry Dave
🙂
bloop bloop
cracker tune time
sorry
ye don’t have a separate something
.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=3ivid4R2ZD0
.
.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=7_Axli2C5ew
.
tunes are tunes are tunes
CBA, off Tufnell Park Rd. My Nan’s house, terraced 3 beds-worth 2 bob when we moved but about 1.1 million last time it sold, we’ve never been a lucky family…
top man Dave
🙂
sing along to the undertones
bringers of joy
if not wealth
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=_-IRbRW20sg
.
smile through the lost millions
property market is a fuckin racket
Thanks ‘holic for another season of great blogging. You add a further layer to the lasagne that is our discussion of the Arsenal, and that layer is a Béchamel (oh, for goodness sake, this is going nowhere) … Anyway, thanks again.
Dave,
I’m afraid it’s not quite as simple as just blaming it on your Dad.
After all ……
My old man
Said be a Tottenham fan,
And I said,
F*ck off, b*ll*cks, you’re a c*nt ……….. 😉
Come on Dave, you’re a decent bloke – never too late. 😉
another lost irish classic
if ever mike read needed a boot in the balls
what a spanner
.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Hy8_ByqQA3Q
Why, why, why did OspinO, Özilla, Alexis and Santi all play today? All of them should have been rested. We should also have played Theo on the wing with OG up front. They are easily our best strike force when on form, and today was an ideal opportunity to fine-tune the partnership.
As it was WBA were on their holidays, the result was never in doubt, and only the quality of the goals made it a game to remember – a cracking opener from Theo and cracking 3rd from Jack in particular. That’s ten goals for Theo in his last nine starts, and match over within 20 minutes was (whisper it) almost Invincible-like.
Will either start in the Cup final? Possibly, but the new, cautious AW is more likely to hold Theo back, and maybe Jack too. Completely daft, imo, but I can’t see anything much different next weekend to the ‘first XI’ he stubbornly refused to alter till today.
We should still win the Cup whoever plays, but I remain convinced that AW stuffed up with his team selections over the past few weeks. But congrats to him anyway, another excellent season from the boss under the usual difficult circumstances.
Öskar
What a pleasure to see ALL the GBR players Wenger was supposedly building his future team around on the field today. Rambo, Jack, Gibbo, Theo and Ox all fit at the same time! Whoda thunk we’d ever see that again?
And the guy responsible, Declan Lynch, (nice of Theo and Jack to acknowledge him) is off to work his magic on rugger buggers? 🙁
Öskar
My guess at the Cup Final starting team:
Ospina
Bellerin Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal
Cazorla Coquelin Ramsey
Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
Subs:
Szczesny Gabriel Gibbs Wilshere Oxlade-Chamberlain Rosicky Walcott
That’s exactly the team I was alluding to in #144, Ned. Not what I’d like to see, but what I expect.
Switching off now … zzzzzzzzz
Öskar
Thanks Dave, et al.
Boilk.
Top, top keeper required.
Applications invited.
Regarding team selection, it’s a no brainer to pick Theo IMO. Our most fluent attacking displays in recent times have been West Ham and West Brom. We tore both apart with the movement up front and against West Ham, Theo could have had a hat trick. He was roundly criticised that day but was clearly rusty after a long lay off.
The difference in the way we play when we have movement and zip the ball about is so marked, he really should start on Saturday. I doubt he will, but Welbeck probably won’t be fit (and wouldn’t even be in the squad for me, even if he was ‘fit’ after weeks out) so he has a 50/50 chance with Giroud.
Giroud is in rotten form, Walcott has a hat trick under his belt but is as likely to have a quiet game as a barn stormer.
It’s still not a difficult choice though. For me.
As far as keepers go, Ospina may not be top top quality but he’s closer to it than Woj and it might be significant that Ospina played yesterday, whereas Woj didn’t get his gloves warm.
sparky50
141
🙂
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‘holic
wear yer boilk with pride
we had our shootin boots on yesterday
churlish not to fire up one’s drinkin irons
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here’s to wemberley
*advance boilks*
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THE ARSENAL
o fuckin yes !
Another enjoyable afternoon at The Grove with some stunning strikes. An enjoyable after match in the Tollie. Hope you made it home okay Holic? I know it was an arduous journey in the making.
Theo again showed what he can do. He brings something to the side that no one else brings. Jack’s strike was simply stunning.
A week to rest and prepare for next Saturday. A week to enjoy the build up and the “Arsenal have agreed a deal with…..” rumours.
Thanks Steve, cba. Home in one piece just about. What a session. Lovely to see so many friendly faces.
Trev, your daughter is a credit to you.
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